Ten Ways to Minimize Calories & Maximize Enjoyment

(NAPS) – This time of year, seasonal favorites such as pumpkin pie, homemade fudge, eggnog, and sugar cookies can tempt even the most committed to stray from their healthy eating plans.  For those also finding it hard to fit physical activity into their hectic routines, the result can be weight gain – and loss of motivation.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way.  If you’ve already got a positive weight loss mindset, and have resolved to achieve and maintain a healthier lifestyle in the coming year, there are ways to not only survive the holidays – but to thrive during them. 

“The key is moderation, not deprivation,” says Julie Armstrong, franchise owner of two Jenny Craig Centres in Colorado Springs.  “There’s no need to pass up your grandmother’s apple pie, or dressing with your turkey.  Just take small servings, and balance out higher-fat and higher-calorie choices with nonfat dairy products and fresh fruits and vegetables.”

Here are Armstrong’s top 10 strategies for staying on track this holiday season: 

1. Learn to say “no, thank you” to an offer of unwanted food.  By doing so, you’re saying “yes” to yourself and your commitment to a healthier lifestyle.
2. Don’t skip breakfast to “save” all of your calories for the big feast.  Follow your healthy eating plan for the entire day so you’re not starving by dinner time.
3. Bring a vegetable platter to a party so you’ll have plenty of crunchy veggies to munch on.
4. Roast your turkey without the stuffing, breast-side down, to keep it moist and allow the fat to run off.  For a browned top, turn your turkey right-side up for the last half hour.
5. Add volume to your meals with fruits, vegetables, lean protein and high-fiber starches to feel full on fewer calories.
6. Enjoy a rousing snowball fight, go sledding, or build a snowman.
7. Park far from the mall entrance, and walk extra laps around the mall before you begin your holiday shopping.
8. Spend more time on the dance floor – and less at the hors d’oeuvres table – at your next company function.  Enjoy higher-calorie beverages only on occasion, and in moderation.
9. Savor the season by taking a few runs down a nearby ski slope or going ice-skating on an outdoor rink.
10. Enlist support from others by exchanging healthy recipes, being active together, and sharing words of encouragement.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) recently released the findings of a two-year clinical trial examining the efficacy of the Jenny Craig Program in helping overweight and obese women achieve an average weight loss of 10% after one year and weight maintenance of more than 7.9% at the two-year mark. The trial also demonstrated the success of the Jenny Craig Program in improvement in risk factors for chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and stroke, as well as improvement in depression and quality of life measures.

For more healthy holiday tips and information on the Jenny Craig Program, call the Jenny Craig Centre nearest you at 5975 N. Academy Blvd., Suite 206 (719/264-1481) or 726 Cheyenne Meadows Rd. (719/527-0032).